Vehicle-brake.



No. 652,697. Patented lune26, |900. J. C. STINSN.

VEHICLE BRAKE.

(Application led Janf, 1900. j

(No Model.)

' rrr. infra nrrnnfr ritieni.

VEHICLENBRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,697, dated June 26, 1900. Application filed anuary 3, 1900. Serial No. 259. (No model T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES CARY STINsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Centre Point, in the county of Henderson and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Vehicle-Brake, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in vehicle-brakes- The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of vehicle-brakes, more especially that shown and described in Patent No. 621,508, granted to me March 21, 1899, and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device for holding or locking the automatic brake described in the ent out of operation while backing a vehicle or when the same is descending' a muddy grade, whereby mud is prevented from collecting on the brake-shoes.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a vehicle provided with a device constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in both figures of the drawings.

1 designates an operating-cord connected by the means hereinafter described with catches 2, adapted when drawn inward to lock brake-levers 3 out of engagement with the wheels 4, as shown and described in the said patent. The operating-cord 1 is provided with laterally-extending branches 5, extending through suitable guides 6 and connected at their outer ends with the said catches 2, whereby when the operating-cord is pulled upon the catches will be drawn inward and will prevent links 7 from swinging rearward. The links, as described in the said patent, support the rear ends of pushrods 6, which are connected with the brakelevcrs andwhich have their front ends slidingly mounted on the shafts or thills.

Heretofore it hasbeen necessary when it was desired to back the vehicle or hold the brake mechanism out of operation for any other purpose to grasp the operating-cord with one hand and manipulate the reins with l the other, and in order to obviate the necessity of the operator holding the cord and to enable him to use both hands in controlling thedraftanimal the present invention is provided. The operating cord, which extends upward and rearward from the guides, is preferably connected with the branches by means of a coiled spring 9, and it is adapted to be held by aplate 10, secured to the dashboard and projecting upward therefrom. The projecting portion of the plate is provided' with a tapering opening 11, disposed horizontally and extending inward from one side of it, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. This tapering opening forms a Haring mouth, and the operating-cord is adapted to be readily engaged with the plate by drawing it horizontally into the said opening, and it will be securely held therein by the tapering orinwardly-converging sidewalls thereof. The spring which forms an elastic connection between the operating-cord and the laterallyextending branches enables the former to be placed under tension and operates by such means to hold the cord in the Haring opening ot' the plate or clamp. The cord is readily disengaged from the plate or clamp by drawing it out of the tapering opening, and

the resilient catches will automatically spring outward to permit the brake to operate automatioally.

It will be seen that the device is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construen tion and that it is capable of holding the automatic brake out of operation to permit the operator to have the free use of both hands in manipulating the reins in backing the ven hicle and in driving when the vehicle is descending a muddy grade and when it is den sired to prevent the mud from accumulating on the brake-shoes. Furthermore, it will be clear that the plate or clamp may be secured lto any other convenient portion of the vehicle.

Vhat is claimed is-V1 lnan automatic vehicle-brake, the combination with a pair of shafts, automatic brake mechanism mounted on the shafts and adapte lOO ed to engage the wheels, a clamp mounted on the body of the vehicle, resilient catches arranged to engage the automatic brake mechanism and adapted to spring outward automatically, means for holding the catches normally out of such engagement, and an elastic connection extending from the catches to the i' clamp and adapted to be placed under tension to hold the catches in engagement with the brake mechanism, whereby the said catches Will be prevented from springing outward and JAMES CARY STINSON.

Witnesses:

W. R. STEWART, T. J. HOLLEY. 

